Saved Through Death
by MsDreamer93
Summary: AU. Sakura kills Sasuke to save him from his dark path.
**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.**

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 **Saved Through Death**

Sakura ran down the wall towards Sasuke, a poisonous kunai gripped in her hand. As she reached closer to Sasuke, memories flew through her head. The memories of Uchiha Sasuke who had express at least a little concern to her and Naruto. Uchiha Sasuke who hadn't tried to kill her but protected instead. That Uchiha Sasuke was gone now. His eyes full of hatred didn't show any love, caring, compassion. Anything that would remind Sakura of Sasuke whom she loved.

Naruto had been keep chasing after Sasuke to save him from his dark path, but she wasn't stupid. Sasuke couldn't be saved, even by Naruto. The only thing that could save Sasuke now was death.

Sasuke grunted with pain as he covered his eyes with his hand. Sakura clutched Sasuke's shoulder from behind, and in one move, she slashed Sasuke's throat. Her hands, legs, whole body trembled as she watched the man she loved with her whole life died. Sasuke's body slammed against the ground.

Sakura fell down, tears streaming down her cheeks, the kunai dropped down. Did it really happen? Did she just kill Sasuke? Or maybe it was just a nightmare, and she would wake up, and Sasuke would never leave the Leaf, and he would still be part of the Team Seven.

Kakashi approached Sakura, and put his hand on her shoulder. For a minute, they stayed silent, staring at Sasuke's dead body.

"I'm sorry, Sakura. I've should never let you carry this burden. This should be my responsibility." Kakashi tightened his fist. The regrets filling his body.

"Sakura-chan! What-What is it?"

Sakura shifted her head to the side, but she didn't turn. She couldn't look in Naruto's eye. Naruto dashed past her, and he grabbed Sasuke's body. Naruto, terrified, observed the blood covering Sasuke. He dropped Sasuke, he peeked at the bloody kunai, and he put his eyes on Sakura.

Sakura bowed her head down waiting for Naruto to tell her how much he hated now. How he would never wanted to see her again.

"I'm worthless." Tears filling his eyes. "I wanted to save Sasuke no matter what, but I failed at it. What kind of ninja I am? I don't only deserve to be a hokage, but to be a ninja as well." Tears dropping down from Naruto's eyes. He didn't bother to wipe them off. "It shouldn't happen to him. He should return to the village. I should be stronger to help him to choose the right path. And you Sakura-chan, shouldn't lie to me."

Sakura, still knelt on the ground, didn't move an inch.

Naruto continued, "If you told me what you planned, then I could prevent Sasuke's death. I could stop you. If you'd only tell me, then I could – I could save Sasuke."

"Naruto, don't blame and hate Sakura, for it. Even though, she loved Sasuke, she still putted the Leaf first. She killed the man she loved not to save only him from his dark path, but her village as well. Her action also prevented more deaths that could occur if the war would break out between our village and the Clouds, because of Sasuke. Sakura is going to carry this burden for the rest of her life. But she shouldn't do it alone. You and I should be there for her, because that what comrades do. The word that Sasuke forgot the meaning of," Kakashi said.

"I don't blame or hate Sakura-chan. I never will! The only person I hate right now is myself."

"Sasuke-kun doesn't deserve it," Sakura whispered. Naruto and Kakashi still were able to hear her, though.

With her shaking legs, she stood up from the ground.

"Sasuke-kun done nothing but hurt you. He fell so low that not only he tried to kill me, but he also planned to destroy our village as well. If Sasuke-kun would continue to live, then we'd meet with more suffering and deaths of our comrades. Please, Naruto, don't think you're worthless, because you couldn't save Sasuke-kun. The truth was he could only be saved through death. I could see it in his eyes. The Sasuke-kun whom we once knew was gone. So, please, don't feel guilty, you did everything you could. Please, don't give up on being a ninja. Don't give up on being hokage, either. It's your dream! Don't let Sasuke-kun take it away from you!"

Naruto looked at her with his sad eyes filled with tears. For a moment, he pondered. He peeked at Sasuke few times.

"Maybe, you're right. Maybe, the only way to save Sasuke was through death. Maybe, he'd finally be happy in the afterlife. But I can't be hokage. This guilt of not being able to save my best friend will always haunt me. I won't give up on being ninja, though, as there are still people I want to protect including you, Sakura-chan and Kakashi-sensei."

Sakura bit her bottom lip as she sobbed. She wished Naruto wouldn't feel that guilt. She wished she could carry all that pain by herself.

"It's just three of us now," Naruto said. He wiped his tears, and let out a deep breath. He glanced at Sakura. "Kakashi-sensei and I will be here for you, Sakura-chan. You won't be alone, I promise."

"That's right, Sakura. We all lost Sasuke. That's why it's important for us to be there for each other," Kakashi said.

Sakura shed more tears. "Thank you, Naruto, Kakashi-sensei. And I'm sorry. I wished things with Sasuke-kun would turn out differently."

"Me too, but I want to believe that we'll meet Sasuke again, and we'd finally be happy together. I'm positive the Team Seven would laugh together again."

Naruto's words brought hope to Sakura's eyes and faith that this would come true.

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 **A/N: I'm sorry for not including Karin. I know she was also there, but I only wanted to focus on Team Seven (mostly on Sakura). I hope you still enjoyed it. Please review.**


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